Page 1 of Devil
PROLOGUE
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Naval Amphibious Base
“This wasn’thow I anticipated spending the last year of my service, sir,” Darius Washington said to his commanding officer.
“I understand, Commander, but they are your orders,” Captain Peters replied. Darius didn’t miss the look that passed between Peters and Admiral Bennington. Both men sat across the conference room table from him, though Bennington had yet to say anything.
“Any reason she might need protection?” Darius asked. The “she” in question was Dr. Lily Devillier, a research doctor based in Boston. For the past twenty years, she’d also been an agent for China’s Ministry of State Security. How, or why, she’d been allowed to live and work in the United States was intel he wasn’t privy to, but he suspected it had something to do with the older British man sitting in the far corner of the room watching the proceedings. Like Bennington, he hadn’t said a word. But if Darius was a betting man, which he wasn’t, he’d wager the man was a highly placed spook of some sort. That was the only reason he could think of to explain the begrudging respect both Peters and Bennington showed him—and why he hadn’t been introduced.
“Nothing specific,” Peters responded.
Darius raised an eyebrow. “Anything nonspecific?”
A ghost of a smile touched the lips of the man in the corner, but Peters frowned. “No.”
Darius wasn’t born yesterday, nor was he a navy or intelligence newbie. There was something going on with Dr. Devillier and either Peters and Bennington didn’t know, or they couldn’t say. Neither option boded well for him and his quest for answers.
He turned his attention to the corner. After a beat, the older man surprised Darius and spoke. “She’s not a double agent,” he said. “But she is an asset to many countries. She’s been in the game a long time. Statistically, it’s only a matter of time before one of her enemies comes out of the woodwork.”
At least it was an answer, although not a great one. Every intelligence agent who’d been in the field for any length of time faced that same situation. So while it might be legitimate, it did not explain why he was being deployed to Boston to watch over her for the last year of his navy career.
Darius let his gaze linger on the man as he thought about the work he’d be leaving behind. He and the team he led were responsible for the operations of the base and ensuring the teams that deployed from there were properly supplied. He wasn’t concerned about his departure disrupting the system—the navy had enough redundancies that someone would be able to step into his shoes. But the fact that he was leaving behind essential work—work thatmatteredto the men and women who served—to babysit an intelligence agent from China did not sit well with him. Sure, he’d be stepping into the role of chief operations officer of the research center where she was employed, and the work coming out of the center was important. But Peters had made it clear that his orders were, first and foremost, to protect Dr. Lily Devillier.
“We’ve leased an apartment for you near Irving and Phillips Streets, not far from the hospital district where the labs are located,” Peters said, bringing Darius’s attention back to his commanding officer. “She lives north of the city, so we’ve arranged a car and a parking spot as well. In addition to your salary, you’ll have all expenses covered.”
This time, both of Darius’s eyebrows went up.
The man in the corner rose, and Darius watched as he straightened his cuffs and prepared to leave. “I do hope this turns out to be the easiest deployment you’ve had, Commander. But make no mistake, it is a deployment, so should you need anything, contact Captain Peters.”
Darius glanced at his commanding officer. None of the navy men said anything as the man who had to be either CIA or MI6 walked toward the door. When his hand was on the knob, he turned and met Darius’s gaze one more time.
“She won’t be who you think she’ll be, Commander. And while I’m not naturally inclined to dramatic declarations, there are people counting on you. Please don’t prove them wrong.”
And with that enigmatic statement, he exited.
Darius stared at the closed door, then turned his attention to Peters and Bennington. “When do I leave?”
“The lease starts August first. It’s unclear when, or if, there will be an opportunity for leave over the next year, so we’re giving you two additional weeks before you begin. Your last day on base will be July fifteenth.”
He had one week to transition his job, say goodbye to his friends and colleagues, and close up his house. He’d spend his leave with his family on the Outer Banks of North Carolina before saying goodbye to them for an indeterminate amount of time. The spook hadn’t been exaggerating; it was exactly like a deployment. At least this time, he’d be stateside, and presumably, he wouldn’t have restricted phone privileges.
He gave a sharp nod and rose. “Then I guess I better get started.”
CHAPTERONE
Lily Devillier—knownas Devil to her close friends—followed her parents out of the restaurant to the waiting limousine. The dinner—an annual obligation—was the only time she ever saw them in person anymore. They’d spend two weeks in New York reviewing their property holdings, then fly up to meet her, their only daughter, for a three-hour dinner.
Like all the others, the dinner had been excellent—the food exquisite and the wine even better. Also like all the others, the company had been so dull that even Devil had felt the urge to fidget. Not that she would. Especially not in front of An and Li Devillier. But to say she would be glad to see them on their way back to China tonight—via one of the family’s private planes—was an understatement. Especially because their departure meant she’d have a full year before she had to sit through yet another dinner with them.
“Will the plane be ready?” she asked when they paused at the side of the vehicle. Their meal had finished twenty minutes earlier than usual. Not that she’d been keeping track.
Her father inclined his head. Both he and her mother had staff that managed such things. “Your grandmother wishes for you to visit,” he said.
Her grandmother had said no such thing. When translated from “Devillier” into English, they’d just reminded her that she had a duty to the family to marry a man of their choosing.
Devil inclined her head, mirroring her father, but didn’t otherwise respond. The last time she’d visited her family in China had been eight years earlier. They’d spent three weeks trying to coerce her into marrying a suitable man. She hadn’t returned since.
